Mercedes-Benz VR Center
ART optical motion tracking at the Mercedes-Benz Virtual Reality Center in Sindelfingen — Powerwall visualization, digital validation, and type approval with precise 6DOF tracking.
Immersive visualization in Sindelfingen
ART is proud to count all of Germany's "big 5" automotive manufacturers among its customers: Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and Porsche. Each has been an innovator in combining virtual reality with automotive development — for design, testing, and prototyping.
At the Mercedes-Benz Virtual Reality Center (VRC) at the Technology Center in Sindelfingen, ART optical motion tracking systems support immersive high-end visualization and help shorten vehicle development cycles.
Powerwall and HMD arena
The VRC combines Powerwall visualization for team reviews with HMD arena setups for individual 6DOF exploration — both in the same precise ART tracking coordinate system.
An "automotive cinema" with Powerwall
Inside the VRC, Mercedes-Benz has created its own automotive cinema: rows of seats and a large display area to showcase the models of tomorrow. The centerpiece is a state-of-the-art Powerwall — a giant LED screen that displays 3D images in the very highest picture quality.
These high-end visualizations are not just design representations. In the early development phase they focus on technical engineering issues: models can be rotated and pivoted, doors and hoods opened, and the interior zoomed into — all in real time.
"The Virtual Reality Center (VRC) at the Mercedes-Benz Technology Center in Sindelfingen is pioneering new ways to help us reduce vehicle development time. Inside the VRC, we have created our very own 'automotive cinema' … When it comes to digital validation, VR provides users with the technology to make their development scopes visible, tangible and easy to evaluate. … VR is revolutionising the way we work, helping us move from initial concept to series production much faster."
— Markus Schäfer, Chief Technology Officer, Mercedes-Benz Group
Source: LinkedIn post by Markus Schäfer
Applications in vehicle development
- Digital validation — pre-calculated shadows for fast overviews or high-end real-time simulations in any desired lighting situation
- Reflection and lighting analysis — reflections in displays and windshields, light spread in the interior
- Tolerance analysis — interactive evaluation of body joints
- Type approval / certification — geometric dimensions checked against regulations, e.g. pedestrian protection across more than 80 measurement areas
ART motion tracking
DTRACK and ART tracking cameras deliver precise 6DOF data for head-mounted displays, flysticks, and targets — the foundation for reliable multi-user VR in large tracking volumes. Marker-based tracking keeps industrial VR applications stable and accurate, even in demanding automotive workflows.
All pictures © Mercedes-Benz Group
Related use cases
Ariane 6 in the virtual world
ArianeGroup uses VR with ART motion capture for scale-1 design reviews — collision checks, assembly validation, and shorter development cycles for launch vehicles.
ART Large Scale Tracking
Boundless VR across large environments — precise real-time tracking for immersive applications in industry, research, and training.
Italdesign Concept Lab
Italdesign's patented Concept Lab VR system — motorized seating buck, collaborative design reviews, and ART optical tracking for human-vehicle interaction.
Similar solution for your project?
Talk to us about your requirements — we advise on DTRACK, VERPOSE®, and custom tracking solutions.